Is the Rebound Effect or Jevons Paradox a Useful Concept for better Management of Water Resources? Insights from the Irrigation Modernisation Process in Spain

Dumont, Aurélien; Mayor, Beatriz; López-Gunn, Elena

doi:10.1016/j.aqpro.2013.07.006

Cited by 83 publications

(46 citation statements)

References 14 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Dumont et al (2013) made a strong case for the rebound effect in Spain based mainly on the mentioned study of Lecina et al (2010) in the Ebro Valley, but dismissed other examples that provided evidence to the contrary, which were also cited but not acknowledged.…”

Section: Empirical Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

Literature Review on Rebound Effect of Water Saving Measures and Analysis of a Spanish Case Study

Berbel

Gutiérrez‐Martín

Díaz

et al. 2014

Water Resour Manage

180

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

POST-PRINT VERSION AbstractThe hypothesis of a rebound effect as a consequence of water saving investments is taken analogically from the Jevons paradox models in energy economics. The European Commission (EC) alert about the consequences in water stressed regions that are investing heavily in modernization of irrigation networks and systems. This paper reviews the literature, linking water savings with water diversion and water depletion, both from theoretical models and empirical evidence from the published research. In order to increase knowledge of this phenomenon, a new empirical case study is presented based on a survey of 36,000 ha of recently modernized irrigated areas in the Guadalquivir basin (southern Spain). The results of the case study illustrates the conditions that may avoid rebound effect, although the results of the available empirical evidence and the published theoretical research are diverse and lead to contradictory results. Further research is therefore needed to determine the causes and solutions of water saving investment impacts and the possible speculative rebound effect.Keywords: Water conservation; Jevons paradox; Rebound effect; Water pricing; Water use; Water consumption; Spain Highlights The present study analyzes the theoretical and empirical evidence that water saving investments may lead to increased water use and/or consumption. Some authors suggest that if irrigated land expansion is not constrained, increased water abstractions are likely to occur. When land expansion is constrained and water rights are controlled, water depletion does not increase. The results of published research are diverse and have yielded contradictory results regarding the rebound effect as a consequence of water saving investments.

show abstract

Section: Empirical Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

Literature Review on Rebound Effect of Water Saving Measures and Analysis of a Spanish Case Study

Berbel

Gutiérrez‐Martín

Díaz

et al. 2014

Water Resour Manage

180

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Evapotranspiration is further divided into beneficial and non-beneficial components [2,4,5]. In other studies, these components have been defined as productive and non-productive consumption [6][7][8]. Beneficial use is defined as that which supports crop production; thus, ET crop is regarded as the main component of beneficial use, whereas the majority of ET n is considered to be of non-beneficial use [2].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although improving irrigation efficiency through water-saving technologies provides an opportunity to reduce water consumption, irrigation water withdrawal continues to increase in many regions [11]. This condition is referred to as the rebound effect or Jevons paradox [8,12]. This efficiency paradox has been gaining widespread attention from researchers studying arid or semi-arid regions [13][14][15][16].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Irrigation-Induced Changes in Evapotranspiration Demand of Awati Irrigation District, Northwest China: Weakening the Effects of Water Saving?

Han

Yang

2017

Sustainability

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract:The evapotranspiration demand of the Awati irrigation district has changed with irrigation development since 1980. During the first period of traditional irrigation expansion from 1980 to 1997, reference crop evapotranspiration (ET 0 ) decreased as irrigation intensity increased. Since the second period of water-saving irrigation extension began in 1998, the gross irrigation quota has decreased as the water use efficiency improved, whereas ET 0 has been increasing accordingly. The increasing evapotranspiration demand has enlarged the irrigation water requirement per unit area, which partly weakens the effects of water-saving irrigation. Findings show that irrigation-induced changes in evapotranspiration demand should be considered when evaluating the performance of water-saving technologies in irrigation districts in arid areas.

show abstract

“…The question of whether it will be possible to increase productive water uses at the same time as complying with environmental objectives of the EUWFD will depend on (1) the willingness of local irrigation communities to adapt their institutional rules; and (2) whether the additional available water is allocated to meet ecosystem requirements or will generate a rebound effect, i.e., a further intensification of the saved water use. There is increasing literature (Dumont et al 2013, Cabello and Madrid 2014, Sampedro and Del Moral 2014 showing that efficiency, so far, has not been effective in controlling water demand in the absence of proper monitoring and withdrawal control protocols.…”

Section: Several Authors Have Described the Alteration Of The Uppermentioning

confidence: 99%

River basins as social-ecological systems: linking levels of societal and ecosystem water metabolism in a semiarid watershed

Cabello¹,

Willaarts²,

Aguilar³

et al. 2015

E&S

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

ABSTRACT. River basin modeling under complexity requires analytical frameworks capable of dealing with the multiple scales and dimensions of environmental problems as well as uncertainty in the evolution of social systems. Conceptual and methodological developments can now be framed using the wide socio-eco-hydrological approach. We add hierarchy theory into the mix to discuss the conceptualization of river basins as complex, holarchic social-ecological systems. We operationalize the social-ecological systems water metabolism framework in a semiarid watershed in Spain, and add the governance dimension that shapes human-environment reciprocity. To this purpose, we integrate an eco-hydrological model with the societal metabolism accounting scheme for land use, human activity, and water use. We explore four types of interactions: between societal organization and water uses/demands, between ecosystem organization and their water requirements/supplies, between societal metabolism and aquatic ecosystem health, and between water demand and availability. Our results reveal a metabolic pattern of a high mountain rural system striving to face exodus and agricultural land abandonment with a multifunctional economy. Centuries of social-ecological evolution shaping waterscapes through traditional water management practices have influenced the eco-hydrological functioning of the basin, enabling adaptation to aridity. We found a marked spatial gradient on water supply, use pattern, and impact on water bodies from the head to the mouth of the basin. Management challenges posed by the European water regulatory framework as a new driver of social-ecological change are highlighted.

show abstract

Is the Rebound Effect or Jevons Paradox a Useful Concept for better Management of Water Resources? Insights from the Irrigation Modernisation Process in Spain

Cited by 83 publications

References 14 publications

Literature Review on Rebound Effect of Water Saving Measures and Analysis of a Spanish Case Study

Literature Review on Rebound Effect of Water Saving Measures and Analysis of a Spanish Case Study

Irrigation-Induced Changes in Evapotranspiration Demand of Awati Irrigation District, Northwest China: Weakening the Effects of Water Saving?

River basins as social-ecological systems: linking levels of societal and ecosystem water metabolism in a semiarid watershed

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About